Plunger mechanism.



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PLUNGER MECHANISM. (Application filed Sept. 5, 1900;)

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UNTTED STATES PATENT @EETQE.

GEORGE T. COOLEY, OF JOPLIN, MISSOURI.

PLUNGER MECHANlSlVl.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,152, dated November 25, 1902.

Application filed September 5, 1900. Serial No. 29,069. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. CooLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at J oplin, in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Plunger Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

To secure the best results from jigging mechanism, it is essential that the jigging motion should be variable at the will of the In treating ores of high specific gravity the plunger-stroke should be long and hard, while with ores of low specific gravity the stroke should be short and less violent. The run of ores is such that changes in adjustment are required with great frequency. Moreover, aftera jig has been in operation for two or three hours the ore-bed becomes leathery and it is nesessary to loosen it up. The most eifective way of doing this is by a series of long hard strokes of the plunger. It is therefore extremely desirable to provide efficient and easily-operated mechanism for adjusting both the length and the strength of the plunger-stroke. The necessity for such adjustment has been long recognized. Means have been provided for adjusing the length of the stroke; but those heretofore used require stopping the operation of the jig, and consequently of the entire series of operations. This proceeding is so expensive that the operator generally prefers to continue the use of the plunger,even at the loss of valuable ores,until noon or night,unless the demand for readjustmentisimperative,rather than stop the machinery. So far as I am aware no means heretofore proposed for adjusting the strength of the stroke has proved successful. It is also very desirable, especially for the lighter ores, to provide for a period of quiet or restof the water on the ore-bed after the plunger-stroke and before the return stroke.

Another objection to the plunger mechanism heretofore used is the suction on the orebed caused by the return stroke of the plunger.

The objects of my invention are to provide simple and efficient means for varying the length and strength of the plunger-stroke, to provide mechanism for such adjustment which may be readily actuated without stopping the operations of the jig, to provide means for insuring a period of rest of the water on the ore-bed after each stroke and means for varying the period of rest, and to provide means for obviating suction on the ore-bed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is rear elevation of a series of jig-tanks equipped with actuating devices embodying myinvention; Fig. 2, a vertical transverse section of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a top plan view corresponding to Fig. 1; Fig. at, an enlarged side elevation of the upper end of the plunger-rod; Fig. 5, a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a section on line. 8 8 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 8, a partial top plan view of the plunger; Fig. 9, a side View, on an enlarged scale, of themechanism for adjusting the length of stroke; Fig. 10, a section on linelO 1O of'Fig. 9; Fig. 11, a side view on an enlarged scale, of the mechanism for adjusting the strength of stroke; and Fig. 12 a section on line 12 12 of Fig. 11.

Reference-letter A denotes a concentrating grate or sieve; B, a plunger; 0, a plungerrod; D, agnide for the plunger-rod; E,'a yoke on the plunger-rod; F, a cam for actuating the plunger, and G a driven shaft.

The concentrating grate or sieve A is the usual grate or sieve of a jig-tank through which the plunger B is actuated to force intermittent upward currents of water. Plunger B is of substantially the same shape as the plunger-compartment of the tank, but instead of fitting closely all the way is somewhat smaller, except at the corners, where it is provided with extending blocks b, which loosely fit the corners of the plunger-con1- partment. At the spaces between the blocks at the corners the sides of the plunger are beveled and provided with flaps b, which may be of rubber belting and which preferably extend some inches below the plunger. Upon the downward stroke these flaps are at once forced against the walls of the compartment, rendering the plunger water-tight. On the upward stroke the flaps immediately open inwardly and allow the water above to flow past them to fill the vacuum below, thereby avoiding all suction on Ihe herl. The pluu gerrod C (.(Hl'lfi plung r B and passes through guide D, which coujointly with plunger B causes it to travel in a substantially vertical line. At 0 plunger-rod C is provided with a stop-nut, between which and the under side of the guide D a spring 0 is inserted, and c with a stop-nut adapted to take against the upper side of guideD and limit the downward motion of the plunger.

The tension 'of spring 0 and the length of stroke of plunger-rod C may be adjusted by means of nuts cand 0 respectively, for which purpose the nuts are provided with a swinging arm 0 which is normally held stationary in its idle position by clamps 0 By so adjusting the parts that the actual length of the longest stroke required is less than the possible length of stroke the cam will make a partial rotation after the stroke before it begins to rotate the plunger, and thus a period of rest or quiet water on the ore-bed is is insured, and this period is increased or decreased as the length of stroke is decreased or increased, thus giving a longer period of rest for the lighter ores and a shorter period for the heavier ores. In order to lessen the jar of the stroke, an elastic washer 0 may be inserted between nut c and guide D. At its upper end plunger-rod C is equipped with a yoke E, carrying an inclosed roller 6, adapted to contact with cam F and slotted at e to permit vertical movement relatively to shaft G. In order to permit the disengagement of yoke E from cam F and shaft G, and consequently the removal of plunger 13 and rod 0, the yoke-casing is slotted at e on the side which the action of cam F tends to carry from shaft G. Thus while slot 6 permits the disengagement of the yoke from shaft 0 when desired the action of cam F prevents its accidental disengagement during operation. Shaft G is provided with fixed and loose pulleys g and g for starting and stopping the operation and a fly-wheel g for steadying the motion.

In operation as shaft G is rotated plunger B is drawn upward by cam F against the resistance of spring 0 until roller 6 reaches the highest point F of the cam, when it is released and rapidly drawn upward by spring 0 until nut 0 contacts with guide D, stopping the stroke. On the upward movement of the plunger flaps b are pressed in against the sides of the plunger, permitting the water to pass downward below the plunger-belt. When the plunger is drawn downward by spring 0', the flaps are forced outward against the sides of the plunger-compartment and act as valves to prevent the backward flow of water. The extending corner-blocks I) serve to fill the space not occupied by the flaps and guide the plunger in its stroke. The form of cam F is such that the plungeris being slowly withdrawn during practically the entire rotation of shaft G, when it is suddenly released and makes its operative stroke during a small fraction. of the entire time of rotation of the shaft, thus afiording a very advantageous utilization of the power in shaft G. By

adjusting nut c the length of the downward stroke of the plunger may be shortened, so that cam F will have to rotate some distance after the stroke before it begins to again raise the plunger, thus producing a period of absolute rest of the plunger, and consequently of the water on the ore-bed.

Owing to the fact that the water in the plungercompartment above the plunger flows past the plunger immediately on its upward stroke, there will be no backward suck on grate A, but a sudden upward flow and then stagnation, permitting the different specific gravities of the materials acted upon to exert their full and unmolested efiect to produce the separation of the heavier from the lighter particles. .By means of nuts 0 and c the strength and length of the stroke may be nicely adjusted while the jig is in operation without removing or disturbing any of the parts.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination in a jig, of a separating-compartment provided with a sieve; a plunger-compartment adjacent thereto; an open connection between the bottom of the plunger and separating compartments; a plunger mounted to reciprocate in the plunger-compartment; a plunger-rod carrying the plunger; a fixed support above the plunger; an adjustable bearing on the plunger-rod below the support; a spring between the bearing and the bottom ,of the support; an adjustable stop on the plunger-rod above the support; a driving-shaft above the support; and a cam on the shaft, adapted to slowly raise the plunger-rod against the resistance of the spring and release it, substantially as specified.

2. The combination in a jig, of a plunger; a plunger-rod adapted to actuate the plunger; a guide adapted to direct the motion of the plunger-rod; an adjustable stop on the plunger-rod below the guide; a spring between said stop and the guide, adapted to press the plunger to the end of its operative stroke; an adjustable stop on the plunger-rod above the guide; a driving-shaft above the plunger-compartment; a cam on the shaft adapted to withdraw the plunger against the resistance of the spring and release it; a yoke on the plunger-rod engaging the cam; avertical slot in the yoke adapted to permit vertical movement of the yoke relatively of the shaft, and a substantially horizontal slot in the side of the yoke, which the action of the cam tends to carry away from the shaft, substantially as specified.

3. The combination in a jig-tank of a plunger smaller than the plunger-compartment therein, but having extended corners adapted to loosely fit the corners of said compartment; flaps adapted to close the open spaces between the extended corners during the downward travel of the plunger and to open the same during its upward travel; a plungerrod carrying said plunger; a guide for said a, M v V rod; and means for reeiprocatingthe plungerthe plunger to the end of its operative stroke; rod, substantially as specified. acaln connected with the plunger-rod adapted 4. Thecombination in ajig-tank, of a plunto withdraw it against the resistance of the gel smaller than the plunger-compartment plunger-operating force and release it, and I5 5 therein,but having extended corners adapted means for actuating the cam, substantially to loosely fit the corners of the said compartas specified.

mentflaps to close the open spaces between the eritended corners during the downward GEORGE OOOLEY' travel of the plunger and to open the same Witnesses:

I0 duringitsupward travel;aplunger-rod adapt- A. E. BOQUA, Jr.,

ed to actuate the plunger; means for forcing A. F. COOLEY. 

